Devil?

 

BLACK TORMENT-1964-Sir Richard Fordyke (John Turner) and his new bride Elizabeth (Heather Sears) return to his ancestral home where his first wife committed suicide. He's given a rather cold greeting as a young girl has been raped and murdered and her dying words were Richard's name. His father is wheelchair bound by a stroke and can only communicate in sign language which Richard doesn't know. Fortunately his caregiver Diane (Ann Lynn) knows it. She also happens to be Richard's dead wife's sister. Other suspicious acting friends are his accountant Seymour (Peter Arne) and his footman Harris (Norman Bird). After another girl is killed Col. Wentworth (Raymond Huntley; also in Hammer's THE MUMMY) explains to Richard that although he was 100 miles away villagers swear they saw him riding through the village being chased by his deceased wife who was yelling "murderer". A dead girl's fiancee calls Richard the devil and things happen to Richard, leading many to believe he is some kind of demon. After it seems Elizabeth has killed her husband, the culprits are revealed. Patrick Troughton is a stable master. 

Director Robert Hartford-Davis later made CORRUPTION and INCENSE FOR THE DAMMED. After that he came to the US and made BLACK GUNN and THE TAKE. Heather Sears had co-starred with Herbert Lom in the unsuccessful remake of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, produced by Hammer in 1962.

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Who Does Her Hair?

 

THE GORGON-1964-In the small village of Vandorf, there have been several murders in the last 5 years. All the victims have been turned to stone but this is never brought out at the inquests. Prof. Jules Heitz (Michael Goodliffe) who's son has been convicted of the latest murder (and suicide) seeks the help of local professor Manaroff (Peter Cushing) who's assistant Carla Hoffman (Barbara Shelly) suspects something. Heitz thinks it's Magera, one of the Gorgons who can turn people to stone. Heitz himself is turned to stone but not before writing a letter to his son Paul (Richard Pasco). It's obvious Manaroff knows more than he admits. Paul briefly sees the Gorgon's reflection and ages badly. 

Fortunately when things start to get dull Paul's mentor Prof. Karl Meister (Christopher Lee) shows up and gives the local police inspector (Patrick Troughton) a hard time. Meister believes Carla is the killer but Paul of course has fallen in love with her. Meister is right. Carla is the snake haired monster. In the climax the Gorgon is beheaded but there's no happy ending.

Terence Fisher directed this interesting Hammer horror film that's a little thin on story. Still it's always good to see Lee and Cushing together as adversaries. Screenplay by director John Gilling.

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